NEW YORK – Two weeks before a potential lockout, the NFL and its players’ union are asking for help in their stalled negotiations.

Both sides agreed Thursday to mediation as they discuss a new collective bargaining agreement. The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, an independent U.S. government agency, will oversee talks in Washington beginning today.

After holding separate discussions with representatives from the league and the union, FMCS director George H. Cohen said both sides agreed to have the agency mediate. Mediation, however, is not binding.

“Any time that both sides of negotiations can get together, whether through conventional means of bargaining or mediation, to come to an agreement that can benefit all parties, it is a good thing,” NFLPA president Kevin Mawae told The Associated Press in an e-mail.

Negotiations broke down last week, leading to the cancellation of one planned session. The players are expecting the owners to lock them out if the CBA expires March 3 without a new agreement.

“Due to the extreme sensitivity of these negotiations and consistent with the FMCS’s long-standing practice, the agency will refrain from any public comment concerning the future schedule and/or the status of those negotiations until further notice,” Cohen said.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told The Associated Press in an e-mail: “We are now in mediation.”

The league also switched an owners meeting from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on March 3 to Chantilly, Va., on March 2-3.

Cohen said in a statement that the negotiations will be conducted “under my auspices.” He’s no stranger to sports mediation: He was involved in Major League Soccer talks with its players’ union and a work stoppage was avoided last year. Cohen also has worked with the players’ associations for Major League Baseball, helping end the 1994-95 strike as a consulting attorney, and the NBA, and was an advisor to the NHL players’ union before joining the FMCS.

Raiders, Seymour strike deal

The Oakland Raiders have officially announced that they’ve signed Pro Bowl defensive tackle Richard Seymour before he became eligible for free agency.

The team announced the deal Thursday, a day after reports came out that he’d agreed to a two-year, $30 million contract that includes $22.5 million in guaranteed money.

During a hastily called news conference Thursday, Irsay said he’s made Manning an offer worth more than that of Tom Brady, who signed a four-year, $72 million deal in September.

While not divulging details, Irsay is willing to sign Manning to a five-year or six-year deal. Manning turns 35 next month.

Irsay also said he’s started discussing a new deal for kicker Adam Vinatieri and is still debating what to do with Bob Sanders, the oft-injured safety who was the NFL’s 2007 Defensive Player of the Year. Sanders has played in nine regular-season games since winning the award.

Broncos trying to keep Bailey

John Elway said the Denver Broncos are trying to re-sign perennial Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey.

In a series of tweets Thursday, the Broncos’ new chief of football operations said the team is engaged in “constructive conversations” with Bailey’s representatives about keeping the 32-year-old star in orange and blue.

The Broncos decided to not place their franchise tag on Bailey, who just completed a seven-year, $63 million contract with a 10th Pro Bowl berth, a record for cornerbacks.

Titans hire Bush

The Tennessee Titans announced Thursday that they’ve hired former Texans defensive coordinator Frank Bush as their new linebackers coach, with Dave McGinnis moving from that job to a new spot as senior assistant coach.